Gov. Jeb Bush Enters Presidential Race, but May Fail to Connect with Conservatives

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced June 15 that he will seek the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, becoming the 11th announced GOP candidate. Gov. Bush has angered conservatives by his continuing support for Common Core and for what many feel is a weak approach to the problem of massive illegal immigration.

Gov. Bush’s support of Common Core ignores the many testimonies by parents and teachers about how Common Core effectively removes parental choice in education and hurts local control of education. Common Core also forces teachers to spend much more time testing students and less time actually teaching their classes. Ohio Gov. John Kasich, expected to soon become a presidential candidate himself, joins Gov. Bush in his misguided support for Common Core, while other Republican candidates recognize the need for repeal of Common Core. (For more information on Common Core, see Ohioans Against Common Core and Truth in American Education.)

Most conservatives are also furious over the government refusal to secure the border and stop the massive flow of illegals into the country. Against this background last year Gov. Bush made the statement that many who illegally come to the United States do so out of an “act of love” for their families. This sort of statement makes many question Gov. Bush’s commitment to really secure our country’s southern border.

In addition to these issues of concern, many Republican voters are not warm to the idea of another of the Bush family in office, feeling that it seems too much like a political dynasty. Others feel that a younger, more dynamic candidate may find it easier to beat the likely Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton. However, Gov. Jeb Bush is expected to raise more money for his campaign than any of his GOP rivals, has a lot of support in the establishment wing of the Republican Party, and is therefore considered one of the leading candidates for the 2016 Republican nomination.

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